States Where Bullying Is the Biggest Problem

The rise in school shootings and suicidal behavior among teenagers who have been victims of bullying in recent years has put a national spotlight on childhood bullying. Additionally, the rise in social media usage has likely led to an uptick in cyberbullying. While bullying is rarely the primary cause of suicide, peer-on-peer aggression can have serious and long-lasting effects on child development.

The prevalence of bullying varies heavily throughout the United States and may be correlated with factors such as child obesity, poverty, and mental stress. States also may be able to prevent bullying with effective anti-bullying legislation and programs.

To determine the states with the most bullies, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the share of high schoolers who were bullied on school property in the past year with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey for the 46 states with available data. The four states without available data — Minnesota, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington — were not included in the analysis.